You don't trust me on the vinegar, do an experiment on some ratty, smelly rag you don't care about (maybe an old bandana or some naisty underhose.) Just soak in vinegar, then rinse it and let it dry.
vinegar as odor-reducer link:
http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/tips/a/blvinodor.htm
vinegar uses link:
http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/tips/a/vinegar.htm
If it's so great, why doesn't everyone use it? Once upon a time, everyone did, then WWII ended and newly-expanded chemical corporations (e.g. Procter & Gamble) had to shift their business from military contracts to peacetime profit-making. Voila, an industry of personal hygiene and general cleaning products with questionable efficacy and serious environmental impacts was born.
Seriously, vinegar's one of the most underrated household items out there, along with hot water.
Another tip for killing bacteria on your stuff--when you wash or soak in water, use the hottest you can find. For the above poster, if you use baking soda, dissolve it in boiling water (unless this might cause your straps damage.) One of the most effective ways of killing bacteria is hot hot water.
Last edited by peripatetic; 07-06-05 at 07:21 AM.